TIP OF THE WEEK –
ORDERING A DECEASED PERSON’S SS-5 FOR GENEALOGY
The first time you order a copy of the Social Security Application (SS-5) for a Deceased Person, the process may feel a little daunting. What do I order? How do I order it? Will I be spending money and getting nothing? 

Judy Russell, the Legal Genealogist, has written a nice little article, “Ordering the SS-5 : 2020 Style”, that will walk you through the process in detail.

Her key points are:

You have to make a request using Form SSA-771. Do this online if you are comfortable filling out forms online, making payments online, and attaching supporting files. If you aren’t comfortable with the online process, you can print the form, fill it out manually, attach supporting documents, and mail it back. 

Always choose the option “Photocopy of Original Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5) for a Deceased Individual”; it costs $21. Do NOT choose the the Computer Extract of Social Security Application (Numident) for a Deceased Individual that costs $20.

Expedited processing? Answer NO.

Certification? Answer NO. 

Supporting files? That depends on a couple of factors, including the age of the deceased person. Read the details in Judy’s article at: 

https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2020/11/16/ordering-the-ss-5-2020-style/